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HELIX and Efficiency | Boost mission performance with less effort

HELIX and Efficiency: Doing more with less 

The space industry is undergoing rapid transformation. New technologies, increased access to space infrastructure, and a growing appetite for space-based services are fuelling innovation—but also exposing the limitations of traditional software development approaches. As spacecraft architectures diversify and constellations expand, efficiency has become one of the most critical and elusive goals in space software engineering. 

Our final blog to complete the 3-part HELIX® series, where we focus on how HELIX helps mission developers and operators simplify routine activities, optimise resources, and keep mission control teams lean and effective.

The efficiency problem in today’s space ecosystem 

In recent years, the space sector has shifted from monolithic systems to distributed architectures composed of highly varied components — each from different vendors, with unique interfaces and operational demands. Hardware commodification, the growth of the small satellites sector, and the rise of space-based data services have only accelerated this trend. 

While this diversity fuels innovation, it also introduces significant inefficiencies: 

• Redundant development across similar missions 
• Time-consuming and error-prone integration efforts
• Operational silos between upstream developers and downstream service providers 
• Inflexible software architectures that can’t adapt as systems evolve   

These inefficiencies aren’t just technical issues — they’re commercial liabilities that can slow time-to-orbit, increase costs, and threaten mission success. 

How HELIX drives efficiency across every layer of the mission lifecycle 

At Bright Ascension we attempt to solve this challenge through HELIX, our modular, scalable, end-to-end software suite, designed to bring simplicity and efficiency to every stage of the mission lifecycle. 

From upstream system development and testing to downstream delivery of insights and analytics, HELIX enables smooth, seamless coordination across the full space value chain. 

What makes it truly efficient?  

Multi-vertical design: Connecting the dots  

HELIX spans the entire mission lifecycle from flight software to ground systems, mission operations, and downstream data delivery. Traditionally, these areas would be handled by separate tools and vendors, leading to friction, duplication, and integration issues. HELIX unifies them under one cohesive framework, enabling seamless communication, fewer integration risks, faster development cycles, and a clearer operational picture across the entire system – from spacecraft to service delivery. 

Vendor independence: Embracing hardware diversity  

In today’s fragmented supply chain, operators often source components from multiple vendors – each with different interfaces, protocols, and requirements. HELIX is designed with vendor independence at its core, meaning it can support spacecraft and ground systems from a wide range of suppliers with minimal manual configuration effort yet simple and transparent constellation management. 

In-built scalability: Future-proofed for constellations  

Even if you’re currently focused on a single-satellite mission, scalability is no longer optional, it’s the future of the New Space industry. As constellations become the norm and mission complexity grows, having an architecture that can evolve with your needs is critical. That’s why HELIX is designed with in-built scalability from day one. Whether you’re scaling from one satellite to a fleet of dozens or even hundreds, each with unique capabilities or mission goals, HELIX allows you to onboard, configure, and manage new assets with minimal effort and without disrupting existing operations 

Smarter resource utilisation: Maximising operational efficiency  

HELIX allows you to maximise the utilisation of your in-orbit and ground-based resources. By making smarter use of your infrastructure, HELIX helps you boost service delivery, reduce bottlenecks, and get more value out of every mission component. 

Modular framework: Rapid development with reusable components 

Modular and flexible, HELIX enables the rapid assembly of mission-specific software from a library of flight-proven components. This reduces the development workload, ensures reliability, and allows you to customise your solution without starting from scratch. Whether you’re building software for a CubeSat or a multi-orbit constellation, HELIX accelerates the journey from concept to orbit.  

Open and flexible architecture: Ready for the next wave of technologies  

As the space sector pushes further into the era of intelligent, autonomous, and reconfigurable systems, HELIX is built with future in mind. 

It is fully equipped to support AI-driven analytics and onboard decision-making. HELIX can incorporate AI models at the edge, directly into flight software or operations platforms.  

It also lays the groundwork for virtual constellations, where disparate assets, potentially from different operators, can dynamically collaborate to deliver shared services.  

As edge computing becomes increasingly critical for reducing latency and data downlink costs, HELIX can efficiently deploy processing capabilities onboard spacecraft. Whether processing Earth observation imagery, compressing telemetry, or pre-selecting data packets, HELIX supports edge applications both on-orbit and in the cloud. 

And finally, with the rise of software-defined payloads and systems, HELIX provides the flexible, future-proof environment needed to reconfigure missions post-launch. Additionally, its model-based system ensures that changes to functionality, even in-orbit, are reflected across the entire ecosystem, automatically and with minimal human effort. 

HELIX Flightkit: Accelerating onboard development 

At the core of HELIX lies Flightkit, a powerful product designed to streamline the development, testing, and deployment of onboard software. Flightkit enables developers to quickly build mission-ready flight software using modular, reusable components. 

Flightkit means that flight software no longer needs to be built from scratch for each and every mission. It allows to assemble systems like building blocks, significantly reducing time and effort. Updates to subsystems or payloads, whether it’s a new sensor or a software-defined module, can be integrated with ease, and thanks to the model-based architecture, those changes are immediately reflected across the ground and operations environments. This drastically cuts down integration cycles and reduces the chances of introducing errors during system updates. 

HELIX Ops: Leaner, smarter operations 

HELIX Ops is the operational heart of the suite, enabling lean and efficient mission control. Drawing on more than 15 years of hands-on mission expertise, HELIX Ops is designed to make mission operations intuitive from day one, giving teams the tools they need to manage anything from a CubeSat validation mission to a growing orbital fleet.  

Discover how HELIX supports efficient mission operations from day one — and why it’s built for lean, capable teams who want to do more with less.